Limnesia rotoruaensis, Smit, Harry, 2002

Smit, Harry, 2002, Two new water mite species from New Zealand (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Zootaxa 61, pp. 1-10 : 6-8

Limnesia rotoruaensis n. sp.

( Figs. 9­16 )

Material examined

Holotype male: Lake Rotorua at Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand, 16 October 2000. Paratypes: 5 males, 11 females ( MNZW), 5 males, 12 females ( ZMAN), same data as holotype.

Diagnosis

PII with a short, blunt seta; posterior to genital field of male a large area of secondary sclerotisation, fused with genital field; female with extensive secondary sclerotisation posterior to fourth coxal plates.

Description

Male: body 713 (575­741) long and 616 (462­591) wide. Integument lineated. Dorsal and ventral shield absent, dorsum with a platelet 190 long and 122 wide. First coxal plates separated medially. Glandula Limnesiae located in the middle of third coxal plates, accompanying setae near anterior margin of third coxal plates. Coxoglandularia 1 fused with second coxal plates. Genital field with three pairs of acetabula, each acetabulum in the shape of sunken disc. Genital field with relatively few peripheral setae. Coxoglandularia 2 well separated from accompanying setae. Genital field fused with an extensive area of secondary sclerotisation lying posterior to genital field. Dorsal lengths of PI­PV: 23, 102, 66, 136, 50. Ventral margin of PII with a blunt peg­like seta. PIV ventrally with one two long, well separated setae. Lengths of I­leg­4­6: 108, 130, 114. Lengths of IV­leg­4­6: 152, 190, 162. IV­leg­6 with a long seta, 118 in length. Legs without swimming setae.

Female: Body 737 (770­972) long and 599 (624­818) wide. Integument lineated. Dorsal and ventral shield absent, dorsum with a platelet 192 long. First coxal plates separated medially. Glandula Limnesiae located in the middle of third coxal plates, accompanying setae near anterior margin of third coxal plates. Coxoglandularia 1 fused with second coxal plates. Genital field with three pairs of acetabula, each acetabulum in the shape of sunken disc. Genital field with relatively few peripheral setae. Coxoglandularia 2 well separated from accompanying setae. Anterior two pairs of acetabula closer to each other than first two pairs. Posterior of fourth coxal plates an extensive area of secondary sclerotisation, posterior to genital field a small area of secondary sclerotisation. Dorsal lengths of PI­PV: 26, 102, 82, 148, 46; palp as in male. Lengths of I­leg­4­6: 110, 132, 114. Lengths of IVleg­4­6: 170, 182, 174. IV­leg­6 with a long seta, 132 in length. Legs without swimming setae.

Figures 13­14. Limnesia rotoruaensis n. sp., 13, holotype male, I­leg­4­6; 14, holotype male, IVleg­4­6.

Etymology

Named for Lake Rotorua.

Remarks

The new species is close to Limnesia reptans Hopkins , but differs from the latter in the presence of a large area of secondary sclerotisation posterior to the genital field (absent in L. reptans ). Furthermore, the genital field in the new species has relatively few peripheral setae, the coxoglandularia 2 are more separated from the accompanying setae, the peg­like seta of PII is blunt and not sharply pointed as in reptans , and the two long ventral setae of PIV are more separated.

Figures

FIGURES 9 ­ 10. Limnesia rotoruaensis n. sp. 9, holotype male, ventral view; 10, holotype male, genital field.

FIGURES 11 ­ 12. Limnesia rotoruaensis n. sp., holotype male, dorsal platelet with accompanying glandularia; 12, holotype male, palp.

FIGURES 15 ­ 16. Limnesia rotoruaensis n. sp., 15, paratype female, ventral view; 16, paratype female, genital field